, 1887-04-30
SCIENCE AND RELIGION MUTU-
ALLY HELPFUL.
(FrOm the independently
(BY THE REV. JOHN L. soUDDER.)

there never has been and never can be any
conflict. When rightly understood and seen
in their proper relations they are found to be
Complementary, not contradictory. The fun
damental idea in religion is holiness, or the
attainment of a perfect character; that
OF science is knowledge, or the attain
ment of the truth. Science and religion,
then, are modern equivalents for the an
cient ideas of the true and the good.
The province of science is the head that
of religion is the heart. The question for us
to ask is, What are the relations between
these two spheres? Are they entirely sepa-
rate or is there a mysterious connection be-
tween the two? If they impinge upon the
other, is the contact an in~terlocklng OF friend
lY arms in a common progress, or g. collision
between opposing forces?
At first sight it would seem as if knowledge
and virtue were independent of each other.
Certainly they do not necessarily exist IN one
and the same individual, for it is possible for
a man to be pious and yet be a positive igno-
ramus. He may have a pure heart coupled
with 6 hollow head. And the reverse is also
true, Your keen man may be an incorrigible
villain; he may haYea splendid head surmount-
ing q corrupt and worthless heart. Intelligence
and morality then are not Siamese twins. 1t is
possible for them to be severed and live apart.
But when we rise from the individual to
society, we observe a close connection be-
tween these two; in fact, one is indispensa-
BILE to the existence of the other. Science
cannot exist in other than religious COM
lnunities. Savages have no true science.
Religion fosters education, and is restless
unless a school-house is placed alongside
of the church. The converted heather is
always anxious to learn. When holiness is
dominant, the animal part is held in subjec-
ton and more blood is sent to the brain.
Conversely, it is the general Office of sci
ence to encourage good morals and improve
religion by making its theology more intelll-
gent and its methods of work more efficient.
OF this, however, a little later. The point to
be made now is this; that physical science,
which is the study of Nature, lends to make
men religious; not sentimental, perhaps,
nor theological, but religious. Nature is
of God, and q study of Nature is simply
learning to think Gods thoughts after him.
and no man, / claim, can be engaged in such
divine contemplation without being spiritual
ly improved. Lord Bacon put it we'll when
he said: "a little natural philosophy and the
FIRST entrance into it doth dispose the opinion
TO atheism; but, on the other side, much
natural philosophy and wading deep. into it
will bring about mems minds to religion
One remarkable characteristic of scientific
men land it Is something we prize very
highly in religious %circles) is their ability to
rise above the trivialities and follies of com
mon life, and enjoy a magnificent communion
with the great Thought-power and Will-pow.
er that stands behind this universe and mani.
tests himself through it.. AS a class these
men are peculiarly humble and reverent les
pecially astronomers and geologists), and
seem to live seeing him who is invisible.
And their desire to know Gods thoughts and
modes of work becomes a perfect passion.
They are too earnest to spend their lives in
the service of Mammon; indeed, at times,
their simplicity and lack of greed seem sub
timely out of joint with our present avarici-
oas and intensely materialistic civilization.
Az Q rule they are men of high moral princi-
pie, upright, conscientious and peculiarly
loyal to the truth. Now, surely, these are
religious qualities, and for them their owners
are largely indebted to their study of Ma
ture. Gods thoughts, as expressed in the
visible universe, never run athwart the
pathway of moral progress. Any one who
holds to the contrary impugns the character
and wisdom of God. From a naturalistic
poinbl of view, a clear head and q clean heart
are mutually attractive and helpful.
Now if the question be asked, Is there, or
has there been, any clashing between physi-.
calsscience and theology, the answer comes
quickly, Eyes, and any amount Of it. The.
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